2013 Golf Chic (pdf version) - Ladies European Tour

MotoringDiscover a newdriving experienceNancy Lopez was an icon for Hazel from an early ageWhat does this mean for golf going into the Summer OlympicGames in 2016?Isn’t it exciting! I think it’s marvellous. This will be quite anopportunity, just as it was when tennis was re-introduced, forsome of the greatest sportsmen and women in the world to takepart a multi-sport environment for the first time. That Olympicexperience could be so valuable to them – just look at what itdid for Andy Murray last summer. It’ll be interesting to see howmany countries will send golfers to take part in the Olympicsin Rio and to watch how many take part thereafter in Gamesbeyond Brazil. I also think that it’s great that the men’s andwomen’s events have equal billing at the Olympics. They’ll takepart, side by side, and that is another very important statementnot just for women’s golf, but for the whole game generally. Iwelcome it.Do you think it will raise the profile of women golfers?I think it will. It’s a good showcase and it may also underlinejust how far women’s professional golf has come. Golf is nowa positive, extremely viable and rewarding career for a lot offorward-thinking young women. It is a career. And as a workingmother, myself, it’s great to see that it’s a career that can nowoffer some longevity. You see a lot of mothers on the tour now;they’ve got crèche and childcare facilities in place and a lotof infrastructure supporting these women in sport. It’s hardto juggle things when you’re a working mother but I’m veryimpressed at the growing opportunities that golf affords towomen right across the age ranges now.There are a bamboozling number ofdifferent cars to choose from in the world,each offering their own benefits and eachwith their own ‘va va voom’ appeal. Thereare bubble cars, luxury cars, sports cars,grand tourers, convertibles, mini MPVs,large MPVs and SUVs, to name just a few.And between them they answer nearlyevery conceivable need, from those whowant more space, to those who want betterfuel consumption, to those who feel theneed for speed. There’s a car out there foreveryone, choosing the right one for youthough is never that easy.Cars have come a long way since Karl Benzunveiled the first gas-powered car in thelate 1800s. Each year manufacturers revealclever new designs and gadgets that keepour driving experience moving forward. Thisyear looks set to be no different with manyfocusing on new technology. Self-drivingtechnology, parking guidance and lanedeparture warnings are just some of thosethat are expected to feature in cars moreand more this year, and the competitionto differentiate one car from the next isexpected to be fierce. We have pickedthree that are at the forefront of all thisinnovation and change: the Lexus RX, thenew Honda CR-V and the Peugeot RCZ.As you get into the Lexus RX, the steeringwheel extends to meet you and the driver’sseat moves into place. How’s that foran impressive opener. Futuristic designis at the heart of this car, and technicaladvances combine with impressive insidespace and plush upholstery throughout.No less than ten airbags and seatbelt pretensionershelp to protect passengers andthe driver, plus a Pre-Crash Safety systemnot only warns of any potential hazards,but will also actually help take evasiveaction if necessary. Long before any driveris even allowed to take the car for a testride though, each new RX is put througha series of stringent tests that includespending time in a storm chamber thatsimulates the ferocity of a natural typhoon.It goes without saying the Lexus RX ismade for all conditions.First impressions count, and that iscertainly the case with the new-lookPeugeot RCZ unveiled at the Paris MotorShow to much applause. Coupes are allabout style and the RCZ delivers that inabundance. Auto Express described theRCZ when it first came out as “classleadingfor mid-corner poise and stability,as well as responsive steering. Great tolook at and just as impressive to drive”.The latest version has a new distinctivenose with a front grille that’s split into twoparts, with the lower wider wing-shapedintake having daytime running lights in itsouter edges. Add in some angular, modernlookingheadlights and the RCZ is a realhead turner. The RCZ is available in Sportor GT spec. And despite the incredibleoutput of more than 160bhp per litre,technical advances means CO2 emissionsare pegged at just 155g/km.The third of our shortlist is the Honda CR-V.Although it is classified as an SUV, andhas the boot and inside space to warrantthat, it drives more like a road car, thanks tosome painstaking engineering. As well asbrake-force distribution, electronic stabilityprogram, traction control, trailer stabilitycontrol and emergency-stop braking,there’s also optional active cruise controland a lane-keeping assistant. What Carmagazine described it as having “masses ofspace, great versatility and relaxed drivingmanners. Add in robust build quality, andyou’re looking at a very accomplishedfamily car”.Technology has infiltrated every otheraspect of our daily lives, and technologyis what is driving good car design. But justlike anything else, there are good designsand bad ones. We believe these three areshining examples of how to do it well.I know these are straightened times in financial terms but evenso, there’s clearly a lot of growth in the women’s game whenyou look at the LET, the LGPA and the Far Eastern andAustralasian tours. Things seem to be positive.7879